Marking device and mechanism



April 13, 1954 Filed Nov. 14, 1947 F. c. BRENGMAN 2,674,939

MARKING DEVICE AND MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 71"! far/fan En ga XML/JANA HTTORNEY April 1954 F. c. BRENGMAN MARKING DEVICE ANDMECHANISM Filed NOV. 14, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet I5 I NTOR 75w] furl/m Zmgmaw HTTORNEY 10 3 I HIM: IN] N I Ill April 13, 1954 F. c. BRENGMANMARKING DEVICE AND MECHANISM Filed Nov. 14, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR Brwgg'mw far BY KM mu EY Ap 1954 F. c. BRENGMAN 2,674,939

MARKING DEVICE AND MECHANISM Filed Nov. 14, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 .a 1fig. 8 I

1 l 4Z5 E] 1 m M104 L109 h INVENTOR fin] far/fan Bragg/flaw HTTORNE Yvide a new and device.

'- 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE MARKING DEVICE ANDMECHANISM Fred Carlton Brengman, Lancaster, Ohio, as-

signor to Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, ()hio, acorporation of Delaware Application November 14, 1947, Serial No.786,069

3 Claims.

' closure caps of sealed containers.

L1 connection with the packaging of foodstuiTs in glass containers, forexample, it is frequently desirable that there be applied to the closurecap of the conta ner some designation or code number which may serve toindicate the source of l the particular lot of material being packaged,

the time or date when the particular lot of material was packaged, orwhich may give other information. Such marking with a code number orlegend cannot be practically done at the time when the caps aremanufactured but must be performed at the time when the products aresealed, and preferably immediately upon emergence of the sealedcontainers from a sealing machine.

The present invention aims to meet the above and other desiredobjectives by providing a new and improved coding device or mechanismthat may be utilized to apply code numbers or legends to closure caps ofsealed containers. The-invention further contemplates the provision ofnew and improved means for placing ink on a code or legend applyingmember prior to the member coming into contact with a closure cap of asealed container.

An object of the present invention is to proimproved code or legendapplying Another object of the invention is to provide an ink supplyingmeans for use with a code applying means.

Another object of the invention i to provide a code applying devicewhich is relatively simple in construction and operation.

Other and further objects of the invention will A preferred embodimentof the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration anddescription and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthe specification,

wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating one form of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectionalview taken, along the line Fig. 2a is an enlargedfragmentary view illustrating a detail of the invention shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view partly broken away, taken along the line 4 l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. "I is a sectional view taken along the line ll of Fig. 6; and sFig. 8 is a sectional view illustrating another modified form of theinvention.

Described generally (Fig. 1), the present device or mechanism comprisesa moving conveyor belt I adapted to move sealed containers 2 beneath acode applying head 4 of the machine. An inking head 5 is adapted tosupply ink to the code applying members of the marking head 4. Themarking head 4 and inking head 5 are preferably carried by a verticallyadjustable support I, which is in turn supported upon and guided byspaced upright members 8 and I0. As the conveyor belt I moves sealedcontainers beneath the marking head 4, the closure caps 3 of thecontainers are imprinted with the desired code number or legend.

The terms code or legend are used herein to indicate generally anydesired form of marking which it may be desired to apply to a containeror closure cap. Also, the term ink is intended to include any markingfluid or marking medium which may be utilized to form the actualrepresentation upon a container or closure cap.

Referring again to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1through 5 thereof, there is shown one form of the present device. Thedevice shown in these figures is preferably located immediately adjacentthe exit end of a sealing machine (not shown) which applies closure caps3 to the filled containers 2. The coding device may be utilized with anydesired type of sealing machine, and it is considered unnecessary toshow the present coding device associated with any particular type orform of sealing machine.

As shown in Fig. 1, the conveyor belt or member l moves arow or line ofsealed containers from left to right. In some cases the conveyor beltmay actually be an extension of the same conveyor belt which movescontainers through the sealing machine during application of the closurecaps thereto. In some instances it may be desired to provide a separateendless belt and to transfer containers from the sealingmachine to thecoding device by suitable guide means. The conveyor belt i may be drivenin any suitable manner and in actual practice it has been foundconvenient to drive the belt from a power take-oil or shaft of theparticular sealing machine with which it is used. Guide rails H and 23may be utilized to assist in retaining the moving containers on thetraveling belt; the guide rails may be adjusted transversely withrespect to the surface of the conveyor belt so as to accommodatecontainers of diiferent diameters.

As sealed containers are carried along by the moving belt 5, theyapproach a star wheel I4 which has outwardly disposed spokes or fingersthereof projecting over the traveling belt. The spaced arms or fingersof the star wheel receive containers and serve to accurately positionthem with respect to the marking head 4, previously referred to inconnection with the general description. It will be noted that themarking head 4 is shown positioned over the conveyor I immediately abovethe star wheel I4.

In Fig. 2, the star wheel 14 is shown driven by a worm gear 16, mountedupon a shaft H; the shaft I! may be driven from a sealing machinethrough a flexible coupling or other appropriate means (not shown). Theworm gear i6 meshes with a gear l8 keyed to the shaft 19, and thislatter shaft I9 is fixedly secured to a collar 26 which carries a flangemember 22, to which is bolted the star wheel [4. Thus, as the shaft llconnected with the sealing machine rotates, the star wheel l4 likewiserevolves to receive containers and move them beneath the marking head 4.The conveyor belt I is preferably driven in timed reltaionship withrespect to the drive shaft 11, and thus sealed containers emerging fromthe exit end of the sealing machine are spaced in approximately correctrelationship along the belt which moves past the location of the starwheel [4. The shaft I9 may be mounted in bearings l2, l5, 2| and 23carried by the housings or casings 6 and 9.

The marking head 4 is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 through of thedrawings and comprises amounting disc-3l secured to the shaft 28 by ataper pin 32, an adjusting ring 34 bolted to the mounting disc 3! bybolts 35 projecting through slots 33 in the mounting disc 3!, a carryingmember 31 carrying marking element hold ers '38, and-a retaining plate40 normally held in position by a clamping plate 41 and wing nut 42. Theretaining plate iq and carrying member 31, and adjusting ring 34 may beheld together by screws or bolts 46.

The mounting disc 3| is secured to form a seat for the adjusted ring 34bolted thereto and forms a seat for the carrying member 31 which hasassembled therewith the marking element holders 38. The retaining plate49, together with the clamping plate 4i and wing nut 42, facilitateready assembly and disassembly of the parts with the shaft 28.

-As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the carrying member 31 is provided withapertures or recesses 44 at spaced intervals about its circumference.

'These recesses 44 are adapted to contain portions of the markingelement holders 38, the holders 38 being normally urged outwardly bysprings or other resilient means 45. Outward movement of the markingelement holders 38 is limited by shoulders 4'! on the retaining plate49, the shoulders co-operating with complementary shoulders or ledges 48on the holders 33. Thus the marking-members arenormallyurged outwardlyby the springs or other resilient means 45 but may move inwardly uponthe application of sufiicient pressure against marking elements 39carried within pockets of the holders 38.

The foregoing construction, by which the marking members and markingelements are yieldably mounted on carrying member 31, facilitatesapplication of code numbers or legends to containers of the same size,but which containers may vary slightly from each other in height, due tomanufacturing tolerances and conditions. During opertaion of themachine, as will be hereinafter brought out in greater detail, if acontainer of slightly excessive height moves beneath a marking element39, the element may yield inwardly slightly to imprint the legendwithout causing damage to the machine or container.

In Fig. 2a the outwardly disposed portion of a marking element holder isshown in greater detail. The marking element proper 39 may comprise arubber stamp or member with the desired code or legend characters formedat its outer face and having a groove 49 at one side thereof adapted tofit over a ridge 50 which projects inwardly with respect to pockets orchambers carried at the outer ends of the holders 31. The pocket-formingmember may be retained in position by a screw or bolt 5!.

While the present marking head is shown provided with four markingelements and holders it will be clear that any appropriate number may beused.

Close synchronization or adjustment of the marking elements 39 withrespect to containers moving beneath the marking head may be obtained bymeans of the slot and bolt construction illustrated more particularly inFigs. 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings. When the bolts 35 are loosened, theadjusting ring 34 may be rotated with respect to the mounting disc 3! toprovide for advancing or retarding the marking elements with respect toa medial position or to the container-receiving fingers of the starwheel I4. Thus, there may be obtained variations in the instant ofcontact of a marking element with a closure cap and also in thepositioning of a legend on a closure cap. The extent of adjustment orsynchronization is controlled by the lengths of the slots 33 throughwhich the bolts 35 extend. The screws or bolts 45 serve to hold theadjusting ring 34, carrying member 31 and retaining plate 40 togetherand facilitate making advancing or retarding adjustments of the markingelements. After a desired adjustment or synchronization has beenobtained, the bolts 35 may be tightened to securely retain the markinghead and elements in position with respect to the disc 35 held by thetaper pin 32 to the operating shaft 28.

Ink or marking fluid may be supplied to the outer marking surfaces ofthe marking elements 39 by an endless belt 55 of the marking head 5. Thebelt 55 is shown in Fig. 4 with its lower portion passing through an inksupply 56 at the lower part of the ink housing 5'1. The belt 55 isdriven in the same sense or direction as the marking head by the markinghead shaft 28 through the intermediation of sprockets 58, 59, 69 and adrive chain 6]. The sprocket B9 is an idler sprocket and is utilized forthe purpose of taking up excessive slack in the chain 8!; the sprocket6!] is eccentrically mounted so that its position may be adjusted byloosening the nut 63 ber 1.

to rotate the shaft 64 and its offset arm 65 which carries the sprocketB0.

Rotation of the sprocket 59 by the drive chain 6| serves to turn thebelt shaft 61 and rotate the pulley 68 keyed thereto adjacent the outerend 1 thereof. Rotation of the pulley 68 turns the belt 55. The oppositeend of the belt 55 is shown passing over a pulley wheel 10. As the belt55 emerges from the supply of ink or other mark- .ing fluid 55, it tendsto carry ink upwardly toward the marking elements which come intomomentary contact with it (Fig. 4).

Transfer of an excessive quantity of ink to the marking elements 39 isminimized or prevented by the provision of a roller 12 shown in contactwith the belt 55 adjacent to the loca- 'tion at which it emerges fromthe supply of ink 56. v the'surface and adjacent side edges of the belt55 and provides what may be referred to as a The roller 12 preferablypresses against squeegee action on the belt. The squeegee ef- 'fecttends to remove excess ink from the traveling belt and to leave onlysufficient ink thereon .-to wet the outwardly disposed surfaces ofmarking elements 39.

As shown in Fig. 4, the squeegee roller 12 is 'rotatably mounted.adjacent the lower end of an arm 13, the arm 13 being pivotally mountedon p a pin 14. A spring 15 abutting against the opposite end of the arm13 serves to urge the squeegee roller firmly against the belt 55. Ad-'justment of the force with which the spring 15 presses the rolleragainst the belt 55 may be controlled by rotation of a knurled nut 11threaded into a suitable projection 18 of the Y ing elements would makesmeary imprints in instances where containers were not passed throughthe machine for a period of time and I then were started feedingthrough.

Ink may be supplied to the housing 51 by a bottle or container 19mounted in inverted position at the outside of the housing 51 (Fig. 1).A closure 88 may be provided to control the passage of ink from thebottle 19 into the lower portion of the housing 51of the inking head 5.

Height adjustments of the coding head 4 and inking head with respect tothe conveyor I may be made by loosening the bolts 81 that extend throughsplit collars 82 of the supporting mem- When the bolts 8| are loosenedthe supporting member 1 may be lifted or lowered along the spacedsupporting shafts 8 and It! to accommodate a particular height ofcontainer beneath the marking head 4. After a desired height adjustmenthas been obtained, the bolts inking head 5 carried thereby, does notchange the drive for the marking head or the inking head, as the shaftI9 remains at all times connected with the driving bevel gear throughthe sleeve 24 which is slidably keyed with the keyway 21 of the shaftl9.

When the foregoing described device or machine is being readied for theapplication of code numbers or legends to the closure caps ofcontainers, the device will first be set to correct height by looseningthe bolts 8| and correctly positioning the supporting member 1 with themarking head 4. Thereafter the position of the marking elements 39carried by the marking head 4 may be checked to see that they aresuitably synchronized or adjusted with respect to the star wheel l4 (theadjusting bolts and slots 35 facilitate this adjustment). Adjustment ofthe squeegee roller 12 for the inking belt may be made by turning theknurled nut 11 so that a correct supply of ink is fed to each of themarking elements 39.

As containers feed through the marking device, they are received byfingers of the star wheel [4 and moved in correctly spaced relationshipbeneath the marking head 4. The marking head 4 rotates in the samegeneral direction as the movement of the containers so that an inkedmarking element 39 comes into contact with a desired location orposition on a closure cap (see Fig. 1). Slight variations in heights ofthe individual containers are accommodated by the yieldable mountings ofthe marking elements '39; if a container of excessive height passesbeneath a marking element, the latter may yield in opposition to theeffect of its spring 45 and thus'the particular container passes beneaththe marking head without causing damage to the device or to the cap orcontainer.

' While four marking elements are shown carried by the typewheel 4, anyconvenient number may be utilized.

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is shown a modified form of the invention. Inthis form the marking head 4a and inking head 5a are carried by asupporting member 1a, the supporting member 1a being mounted adjacentthe ends thereof on spaced upright members 8a and 10a. The

spaced supporting members project through split collars 82a formed onthe supporting member 1a. The collars 82a form part of a flange member85 which may be bolted in any suitable position toa framework orsupport.

The star wheel l4a may be driven from a sealing machine (not shown)through the gear 86, sleeve 81 and shaft 88 slidably keyed thereto. Theshaft 88 extends upwardly to a position adjacent the marking head 4a andhas keyed to the upper portion thereof a bevel gear 89 that meshes withanother bevel gear 90 carried by the shaft 9|. The shaft 91 serves torotate the marking head 4a mounted adjacent the outer portion thereof.

The inking head 5a is shown driven by the shaft 91 through theintermediation of intermeshing gears 92, 93, 94 and 95. The sprocketdrive arrangement described in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 1through 5 may be utilized to drive the inking head 5a of Figs. 6 and '1.Likewise, a gear train along the lines of that described in connectionwith Figs. 6 and '7 may be utilized to drive the inking head 4 of Figs,1 through 5, in lieu of the sprocket and chain drive described inconnection therewith.

Containers moved along the table level or conveyor level 91, by anendless conveyor such as described in connection with Figs. 1 through 5.

will, be space dby thesta; wheel Ma in a manner similar to thatpreviously described.

ing the retaining bolts em, serves to e vate or lower the spaceduprights to and Ilia with respect to the conveyor surface 9'! and tothus adjust the height of the marking head 51: and the inking head to.

The foregoing described height adjustment features are desirable ininstances where very accurate height adjustments are required. In othercases such accurate adjustment may not be reguired and the co-operatingadjusting nut 98 and threaded screw set may be omitted, heightadjustments being obtained by loosening the retaining bolts 81a andlifting or lowering th supporting member in, after'which the retainingbolts Sid may be tightened to maintain the adjusted position.

In Fig. 8 there is illustrated a form of the machine which isparticularly adapted for use in connection with sealing machines of thetype described in United States Patent No. 2,510,568 granted June 6,1950, and owned by the assignee of the present application.

As shown in Fig. 8, a conveyor ib selVes to present sealed containers toa star wheel I ih spaced above a sprocket 89 which serves to engage andguide the conveyor lb. The star wheel Mb moves the containers incorrectly spaced relationship beneath a marking head to similar to thatpreviously described. The marking head 4b is operatively connected withand driven by a sleeve member I03 through the intermediation ofvertically slidable collar Hill, bevel gears (B5 and I06 and. shaftlfll'. The star wheel Mb is shown bolted to a flange portion of thesleeve I03 and thus rotates with it. Any suitable form of drive from asealing machine (not shown) may be utilized for rotating the sprocket99, star Wheel 14b and sleeve Hi3.

'Height adjustments of the marking head 42) may be made by rotating theadjusting nut I08 shown threaded to the upper portion of the shaft Hi),the adjusting nut 168 being connected with ,a connecting housing ill bya clip H3 and split collar lit.

' vides a new and improved device or mechanism adapted to apply codenumbers or legends to the closure caps of sealed containers. Containersare accurately positioned with respect to the .marking means and thelatter may be closely adjusted or synchronized so as to place the codenumber or legend in the desired position on a closure cap.

The moving belt of the inking head and the squeegee roller utilized inconjunction therewith provide a highly desirable result in that anoptimum amount of ink maybe carried by the inking. belt from an inkreservoir to a marking element are squeegee roller acts "on the 's'ideflanges of the belt as well as on the outwardly disposed surface thereofand serves to limit the ink being fed so that'excess quantities ar notapplied to the code'stamp or marking element. This feature is verydesirabl since it facilitates continuous operation of the machinewithout excess quantities of ink being accumulated on the markingelements, even in those instances where for some reason or other sealedcontainers do not pass through the machine for a period or time.

Height adjustments of the marking and inking heads maybe readily madeand means are provided for facilitating very accurate height adjustmentswhere such are desired.

Containers of the same size but of varying tolerances are readilyaccommodated by th yieldably mounted marking elements, the deviceserving to imprint closure caps on containers of minimum tolerance andto readily yield and inprint other containers which may be of a'maximumtolerance.

The present marking device or mechanism is of relatively simple andrugged construction and is well adapted to withstand any rough usage towhich it may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangements of the parts herein without departing. from the spirit andscope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, itis to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention in some detail, what I claim is:

1. A machine for applying markings to closure caps on sealed containerscomprising means. providing a substantially horizontal path for a seriesof moving capped containers, a rotatable vertical shaft upstandingbehind said path, a horizontal star wheel fast on a lower portion of theshaft having a portion of its periphery overlying the path and adaptedon rotation of the shaft to engage containers and move them along thepath, in combination with a marking head assembly for coding the capsduring movement of the containers by the star wheel comprising a housingmounted on the upper portion of the shaft, a gear in the housing fixedagainst vertical movement relative to the housing, said gear beingsplined on the shaft for rotation with the shaft and movement axially ofthe shaft, a horizontal shaft journaled in said housing and driven bysaid gear and having an end projecting from the housing, a generallycircular marking member fast on the projecting end of said horizontalshaft and having a plurality of printing elements spaced about itsperiphery and movable successively on rotation of the marking memberinto printing contact with the caps of containers bcingmoved by the starwheel, means for setting said housing at adjusted elevations on saidvertical shaft for operation of the printing elements on the caps ofcontainers of different heights, and means for rotating said verticalshaft and thereby rotating said star wheel and said marking member inpredetermined phase relation regardless of the elevation of the housingon the vertical shaft.

2. The machine claimed in claim 1, in which the means for setting thehousing at adjusted elevations on the vertical shaft comprises fixed.upright means' upstanding behind the oath and spaced from the verticalshaft, arm means extending from the housing to said upright means, and aconnection for securing said arm means at adjusted elevations on saidupright means.

3. The machine claimed in claim 1, in which the means for setting thehousing at adjusted elevations on the vertical shaft comprises a pair ofuprights upstanding behind the path and spaced from the vertical shaftlengthwise along the path, an arm extending from each opposite side ofthe housing to one of the uprights, and a connection on the outer end ofeach arm for securing the arm at adjusted elevations on the adjacentupright.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberNumber 10 Name Date Goss Aug. 21, 1923 Wysong Mar. 4, 1924 WilkinsonJuly 1, 1924 Albertoli Oct. 7, 1924 Roe July 23, 1929 Kranz Mar. 6, 1934Rawson July 14, 1936 Damm Mar. 2, 1937 Booth Jan. 11, 1938 Kimball Mar.1, 1938 Serai Mar. 26, 1940 Jackson Mar. 26, 1940 Jordan May 26, 1942Huntley Apr. 13, 1943 Nordquist Feb. 27, 1945 Davies May 24, 1949 Scottet al July 5, 1949 McKay July 31, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country DateGreatBritain Feb. 25, 1888

